When I first started writing I was told to "write what you know"…and with my first hero, it wasn’t hard. He was a writer, and a secondary character was a potter, both within my area of expertise. But that advice posed a problem when it came to my heroine. She had a Ph.D. in psychology focusing on victimology, and I didn’t have that Ph.D. So I winged it…after doing a LOT of research.
From my first book I went on to have heroes and heroines who were police officers, counselors, pilots, park rangers, a missionary, security specialist, rock climber, even a doctor. I am none of these things. So how do I write about them convincingly?
Most of the time I have friends who are in the field I need that I can talk to. But for the rock climber, I read articles and forums on rock climbing, and the forums were especially informative. I learned the slang climbers use. For the doctor, I have several women friends who are physicians, and they answered my questions and gave me little tidbits of personal information that added authenticity to the story.
In my Memphis Cold Case novels, I had a contact in the Cold Case Division at the Memphis Police Department. When I had a question, I’d shoot him a text. Same with a friend who was a pilot. I’ve never reached out for information and had someone turn me down. Most people are happy to talk about what they do.
Right now I’m working on a series about National Park Rangers set on the Natchez Trace down near Natchez. I’ve interviewed several rangers already and have a district supervisor on speed dial. :-)
In the future I want to write a story about a riverlorian on the Mississippi. About now you’re asking what in the world is a riverlorian. Right? The word is derived from three words: river, lore and historian. Riverlorians spin tales about the history of the rivers they travel.
I’m also planning to write a cozy mystery series about a docent who heads up a committee in charge of restoring an antebellum mansion near the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
What kind of jobs would you like to see in books? Leave your answer in the comments along with a way to contact you, and I’ll pick someone to win a $10 Amazon gift card!
From my first book I went on to have heroes and heroines who were police officers, counselors, pilots, park rangers, a missionary, security specialist, rock climber, even a doctor. I am none of these things. So how do I write about them convincingly?
Most of the time I have friends who are in the field I need that I can talk to. But for the rock climber, I read articles and forums on rock climbing, and the forums were especially informative. I learned the slang climbers use. For the doctor, I have several women friends who are physicians, and they answered my questions and gave me little tidbits of personal information that added authenticity to the story.
In my Memphis Cold Case novels, I had a contact in the Cold Case Division at the Memphis Police Department. When I had a question, I’d shoot him a text. Same with a friend who was a pilot. I’ve never reached out for information and had someone turn me down. Most people are happy to talk about what they do.
Right now I’m working on a series about National Park Rangers set on the Natchez Trace down near Natchez. I’ve interviewed several rangers already and have a district supervisor on speed dial. :-)
In the future I want to write a story about a riverlorian on the Mississippi. About now you’re asking what in the world is a riverlorian. Right? The word is derived from three words: river, lore and historian. Riverlorians spin tales about the history of the rivers they travel.
I’m also planning to write a cozy mystery series about a docent who heads up a committee in charge of restoring an antebellum mansion near the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
What kind of jobs would you like to see in books? Leave your answer in the comments along with a way to contact you, and I’ll pick someone to win a $10 Amazon gift card!
